About the reserve

Balloo Woodland is managed in partnership with Ards and North Down Borough Council and forms an important part of a network of wildlife sites in the area.

The woodland is the last remnant of the gardens of Balloo House - home of the Steele-Nicholson family from the early 1700s – and hosts a fine variety of mature trees including good examples of oak, beech and Scot’s pine, some of which are several hundred years old. Other habitats found here include a small pond, a wildflower meadow and areas of scrub.

In spring, carpets of anemones, bluebells, and strong-smelling wild garlic offer a feast for the senses, along with the sounds of many songbirds such as blackcap and chiff-chaff.

On sunny summer days, look out for butterflies fluttering around the grassy areas from common blue and peacock to ringlet and scarce holly blue, which was formerly restricted to Co Down. 

In winter, the reserve is a great spot to look for birds such as goldcrest and gregarious flocks of long-tailed tit roving through the trees in search of food.

At Balloo Woodland, maintaining the network of formal paths for visitors is a key priority. We also mow the meadow to ensure a colourful wildflower display each year and remove highly invasive non-native species such as Japanese knotweed.